Are you just starting out with mandolin and not sure what you need? Well this new mandolin gear page is designed just for you! The below are what I’d consider required items for new players along with some links to purchase these items. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me or leave a comment below.
What kind of New Mandolin do you want?
When you start looking for a new mandolin, you’ll probably find there’s a lot of different types of mandolins out there. Find the “right mandolin” is a long journey that really depends on your style and tastes – and budget! Likely what’s “right” today, won’t be tomorrow.
If you’re just starting out and not 100% sure mandolin is for you, there’s no shame going cheap. My first new mandolin was a very inexpensive Rogue mandolin I got for $50 (actually it was a deal for a guitar and mandolin for $100). It wasn’t great – but as a beginner, it was good enough to get the basics down. If you gave me that same mandolin today though, the low quality would be super noticeable.
Before getting in to price ranges, let’s review three of the most important parts of buying a mandolin – specifically mandolin shapes, the styles, and the sound holes.
Types of Mandolins
Generally there are three basic types of mandolins:
- Archtop mandolins have a carved top and back which are often tap tuned (something that Lloyd Loar started for mandolins). The sounds are generally between the bowl and flat back – crisp but can have more of the darker tones. Generally this is the standard for bluegrass and often jazz.
- Flat-back mandolin have a flatter back. These mandolins offer a punchier, more direct sound with plenty of volume and projection. I find them to often be very “treble” focused and and nasal sounding.
- Bowl-back mandolin, also called the Neapolitan mandolin, is the original, old-school design. Its deep, rounded back gives it a warm, mellow tone—perfect for classical, folk, and Mediterranean music. These types are usually only for playing classical or similar styles.
F Style vs A Style
Most players will agree that there’s no real tonal difference between an F and A style mandolin with the same type of sound hole (more on that to follow). The biggest difference is really ascetic – at least in my opinion.
- A style mandolins are utilitarian – they sound good and don’t have extra fancy add ons.
- F style mandolins are a bit more fancy looking – they have a scroll, a fancy headstock, and etc.
- Double Points are a hybrid between A and F styles. The don’t have a scroll, but they are not smooth either. Steven Sorenson makes some great double points (he calls them “sprites”).
Generally speaking, F style mandolins are more expensive than A styles for the same relative quality. So if you’re on a budget or just want to stretch your dollar – A style’s are likely a good choice.
F holes vs Oval holes
The sound holes in a mandolin are an important part of the overall tone. The general rule is basically:
- F Holes – Bluegrass standard for the most part. These mandolins generally have a bright and percussive tone that provide the “chuck” that bluegrass is known for. These generally are loud as well and can cut through a jam well. If you’re playing bluegrass, go for the F Holes.
- Oval Holes – These mandolins have a darker, more mellow tone. These are great for certain styles of jazz and classical music. While they work for bluegrass too – they tend to get lost in the mix a bit more than F Holes.
Weber Mandolin’s site does a good job of explaining the differences between the two.
Where do I Buy Mandolins?
For anything under $500, I don’t think it matters much. If you use the Amazon links below, I get a commission which is always nice – but your local music shop likely needs that sale too.
When you start getting to the $1,000+ range, either go to a local music store that sells mandolins, go to the Mandolin Store online, or use the Mandolin Cafe’s classified section. When I bought my Newson, I flew the Nashville to go to Gruhn Guitars to try out a few. While that’s not something everyone can do, it was a blast. I spent 2 days going to the different shops and playing every mandolin I could. The trip was well worth it.
I’ve bought many instruments both the Mandolin Store online and the Mandolin Cafe’s classifieds (they are not related to each other). I’ve had great experiences with both places and would highly recommend them. The Mandolin Cafe has a great forum as well – great place to ask questions!
Mandolin Suggestions By Price Range
- $500 or less – mostly A styles and may need extra setup. Likely you’ll outgrow these within a year or two of regular playing. These are great if you’re really just testing the waters and aren’t sure if mandolin is for you.
- Rogue RM-100A – about $100 – $150. This was the same style as my first mandolin. These are decent and not bad starting mandolins
- Loar Mandolin – about $100 – $150 generally. These are decent and not bad starting mandolins
- Oscar Schmidt – about $450, so a little pricey for a beginner mandolin, but this was my second or third mandolin when I decided to upgrade. It’s an F style too!
- $500 – $1,000 – nicer quality, usually still needs some setup. It’ll take a while for you to outgrow these. If you are serious about playing mandolin, I’d suggest $500+ as a price range. I have a lot of friends that have used these
- $1,000 – $2,000 – even nicer quality than the previous, but may still require a setup. You can find many touring mandolin players using these mandolins – so these could be very long term mandolins for you.
- Eastman MD505
- Kentucky KM858
- Kentucky KM-756
- Kentucky KM-656
- Washburn Americana M3SWE
- $2,000+ – at this price point, there’s a lot of options which are too many to list here. Feel free to contact me if you have questions.
Digital Tuner
Digital tuners are important. You could use your phone and download an app, but those tune by sound – which make them difficult to use at a jam.
I recommend just using this tuner – it’s ~$20 and USB rechargeable so you don’t need to deal with the annoying batteries and works well. I have 2 (one in my case, one in my studio).
Metronome
Having a metronome is a must for any musician looking to get better. There’s a lot of exercises that require a metronome – like picking hand exercises for example. It’s easy to hate the metronome sometimes, but it’s one of the most important practice tools you can have.
There’s a ton of metronome apps for your phone and you can even use Google’s just by searching “online metronome.” I mostly use my Wittner or the Matrix Metronome I’ve had since I started playing – though I can’t find them online anymore. The Lekato seems to be similar to the Matrix. The Wittner is the one I use (wood) but they also have a plastic version that’s about $60.
$25 option Lekato
$20 option Lekato
$280 WITTNER Metronome
Case
Soft case or hard case is usually the big question. Most mandolins will come with some type of case, which is great and may be all you need. I generally recommend having a hard case as your primary and maybe having a soft backpack case for walking around at festivals – or a hard case with backpack straps. Below are some options I’ve used.
- TKL A style – hard case. These are the most common cases that come with new instruments
- TKL F style – hard case. These are the most common cases that come with new instruments. I use this for my mandolins.
- Crossrock – hard case with straps – kill two birds with one stone!
- Case Saddle – This allows you to turn your hard case into a backpack. Really neat.
- Alpine soft case – My go to soft gig bag. The pockets / storage (and beverage holder on the side) make it a great festival case!
Any more questions?
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.